Can opener



Aug. 2o, 1935.

- B. PoLAK CAN OPENER Fil-.ed hat. `19, 1953 2 sheets-sheet l M11 a s /llil Aug'. 20, 1935.- i B, PQLAK 2,012,204

l CAN OPENER Filed om.r 19, 1933. Y v 2 sheets-sheet 2 i -@QV Patented Aug. zo, 1935 UNITED 'A STATES CAN UPENEB Bohumil Polak, Prague, zechoslovakla, assigner to Grodetzky & Polk, Prague, Czechoslovakia Application october 10, 1933, serial No. 694,330 In Czechoslovakia and Germany September 1,

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for cutting open so-called tin cans, particularly those used for conserving foods, in which a swinging segment forming a knife is adapted to follow one side of the rim edge of the can driven by a toothed wheel so that the knife, whenswung into position, will cutthe top out of or away from the can.

Can openers of this type heretofore were arranged in such a way that they were exclusively held to the can in the cutting position of the knife, wherein the rim is clamped` during operation between the knife and the operating wheel by means of the swinging segment or knife.

The object of the present inventionis to construct the device in such a way that it is held on the can before use thereof, that is before the knife actually cuts the top. In thismanner, the device may be used on any can by applyingthe device on the can and merely'rotating the. toothed wheel. which results in the knife cutting into the top, and, upon further rotation, in cutting out the top of the can.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of the can opener on a portion of a can in the starting position,

a Fig. 2 is a cross-'sectional view'of Fig. lv with certain parts of the opener in side view,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the opener advanced in its travel where the knife has just cut into the top of the can,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the parts in the position of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a front view of a modified form of opener,

Fig. 6 is an inside front view of the form of opener of Fig. 5,

Fig.`7 is a front view of a. further modified form of opener,

Fig. 8 is an inside front view of the form of opener of Fig. '1, i

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a can showingd another way of applying the opener thereto, an F1Fig). 10 is a side view of the can and opener of The can opener is preferably formed of a. frame member of two integral side portions I and 4 bent at right angles to each other, in which a manual operator 2 and its toothed wheel 3 are mounted, onfopposite sides of side I. The otherside 4 carries the swinging or pivoted segment 20 with its knife 5. The. segment 20 isA pivotally mounted on a rivet 9 with considerable play so that the segment will not only be capable of rotary motions but also lateral movements away from and toward the side portion 4. The segment is further pro wedging cheek or section 6 arranged adjacent the knife 5. Figs. 1 to 4 show the application of the opener to the can 2| in which in Fig. 1 the cheek or section 6 (dotted lines) wedges against the top rim 22 of the can in starting the opening operation, whereby upon rotating the operator 2` in the direction of the arrow the cheek 6 will wedge against the rim 22 to press the knife 5 into and 'ment 20. Fig. l, the knife 5 will be forced through the top-of the can merely by turning the operator 2, whereby the parts will be in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Upon further rotation of the operator 2 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrow, the opener will travel around they can in the direction of the arrow to cut the top from the can. The knife 5 is forced into the top of the can upon movement of the opener, Fig. 1, due to a punchedout cam 8 in the side 4 which forces the segment 20 down on the top of the can. A lip 1 preferably punched out from the edge of the side 4 formsan end stop for the segment 20, Fig. 3, and the loose rivet 9 holding the segment, Fig. 4, permits the' lateral movement of the segment 20.

It will be noted that the means for fastening 'the opener on the can and for puncturing and cutting the top of the can is operated in-an'entirely mechanical manner. In order to facilitate the application of the opener on the can, a straight score, ridge, or line. I I may be applied on the top of the cangand an arrow I0 printed or stamped thereon so that the opener-may be applied adjacent the ridge I I, the arrow III indicating where the segment is to be pressed by the nger to start the wedging action of the opener. Also, the

opener may be applied on the can and sold withit, in which case, in order to lock the opener on the can, a projection knob I2 is provided on the operator 2 which fits into a corresponding perforation in the side I and a small eyelet I3 is provided adjI jacent to or as a part of the rivet 9 inthe side 4 so that the segment 20 will be held parallel'l or-` against the side portion 4 until the eyeletl is forced out of its perforation upon movement'of tlie-l opener. All of these elements just described have -l other possibilities and may be operated in various ways and combinations.

The modication according to Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to Figs. 1 to -4 except that the side portion 4 has anangularly bent end I4 so that when the segment 20 with knife 5 moves in the direction of the arrow inv starting the'opening operation of the can, the segment will not only have a rotary motion but also a partly vertical motion downwards of the knife, Fig. 6, due to the bent angular end I4.

In the form of invention of Figs. '7 and 8, the various parts are similar to the construction of Figs. 5 and 6 with the only exception that the segment is made in two superposed parts, the wedge part 23 and the knife part 24. 'I'hese parts are both loosely mounted on the common rivet S and the part 23 is provided with abent lug l5 adapted to contact the edge of the part 24 to carry said part 24 along when the cheek 6 wedges against the rim of the can on starting the opening operation. vThe parts 23 and 2t move in the direction of the arrow when the opener is starting its operation.

In Figs. 9 and 10 the form of opener shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is applied on a can 2i in such a way that the side of the can is cut and not the top 26. The 'operation is the .same but the opener is so applied that the side portion I with operator 2 and vwheel 3 adjacent the top 26, that is the wheel 3 contacts the inner side of the rim 22, and the side portion 4 withits segment 2li is adjacent the side 25 of the can. 'I'hel opener makes the out into the side of the canv ment pivotally and loosely mounted on 'the other side portion of the frame and having a knife and.

a toothed cheek to contact against the rim of the can to move the segment and knife toward and ,through the can while the frame is rotated by the operator and toothed wheel upon starting Vis the opening operation.

2. A can opener comprising a frame having two integral side portions bent at right angles to each other; means for moving' the operator around the can consisting of a manual operator and a toothed wheel rotatably connected together onopposite sides of one side portion of the frame, the, toothed wheel being adapted to contact and 'roll on a rim of the can; a cam on the other side portion of the frame; and a segment pivotally and loosely mounted on the last-mentioned side portion of the frame and having a knife and means to contact against the rim of the can to move the segment and knife toward and through the can with the aid of the cam while the frame is 'rotated by the operator and ttiothed wheel upon' starting the opening opera- 3. A can opener comprising a frame; a manual operator and a toothed wheel rotatably mounted in the frame for moving the frame Aaround the can; and a cutting blade and clamping jaw loosely 4and pivotallyrinounted on the frame, said clamping Jaw being arranged behind the blade relative to the direction of the cutting movement so that when theclamping' function is carried out the jaw will engage the "mhead `of Vthe can and upon movement of the 4.. A can opener according to claim 3, in whichl the frame ils provided with a lip on one side thereof acting as an end.v stop for the clamping jaw and when the clamping jaw contacts withgthe lip in its end stop Vposition the jaw will be out of contact with the rim of the can.

5. A can opener according to claim 3, in which the frame is provided with a lip acting as an end stop for the clamping jaw and when the clamping jaw contacts with the lip the jaw will be out of contact with the rim of the can, and in which the frame is further provided with means to positively force the cutting blade toward and into the can due to the loose mounting of the cutting blade.

6. A can opener according to claim 3, in which the cutting blade andclamping jaw are integrally connected together and are in one piece.

7. 'A can opener according to claim 3, in which the cutting blade and the clamping jaw form two separate, parts having a common pivot mounted on the frame and the clamping jaw being provided with a bent lug to contact with and pull the cutting blade along with the clamping jaw in a rotary motion.

8. A can opener according to claim, 3, in which the cutting blade and the clamping jaw form two separate parts having a common pivot mounted on the frame and the clamping jaw being provided with a bent lug to contact with and pull the cutting blade along with the clamping jaw in a rotary motion, and in which the frame is provided with a wedge-like projection along which the clamping jaw slides to force the cutting blade into the can.

9. A can opener according to claim 3, in which the cutting blade and the clamping jaw form two separate parts having a common pivot mounted on` the frame and the clamping jaw being provided with a bent lug to contact with and pull the cutting blade along with the clamping jaw in a rotary motion, and in which the pivot is provided with a lateral projection and a corresponding depression in the frame and means are further provided so that the clamping jaw will be forced laterally relative to its movement around the pivot until this projection is forced out of the depression.

10. vA can opener according to claim 3, in which `.the manual operator is provided with a projection and the frame with a corresponding depression whereby the can opener may be locked on a can with the knife spaced from. the cutting zone whereby a turning force on the operator is necessary, to start .the opening operation, of an additional sunlciency to force the projection to bend out of the depression. y

11. A can opener comprising a frame having two integral side portions bent at right angles to each other; means for moving the frame around the can consisting of a manual operator and a toothed wheel rotatably connected together on opposite sides of one side portion of the frame,

the toothed wheel being adapted to contact and roll on a rim of the can; a segment pivotally and loosely mounted on the other side portion of the frame, said segment being provided with an edge partially acting as a clamping jaw to contact against the rim and to hold the frame secured onto the can with the toothed wheel in the starting position; a knife pivotally mounted on the same side portion of the frame as the segment and adapted to rest spaced a short distance ,from the cutting zone of the can; and meansl to move the segment out of contact and to pierce the knife in the can by starting operator.

BoHUMn.. PoLAK. 

